The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 11, 2006
Filed:
Dec. 30, 2002
Larry D. Barto, Austin, TX (US);
Steven C. Nettles, Johnson City, TX (US);
Yiwei LI, Austin, TX (US);
Gustavo Mata, Austin, TX (US);
H. Van Dyke Parunak, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Larry D. Barto, Austin, TX (US);
Steven C. Nettles, Johnson City, TX (US);
Yiwei Li, Austin, TX (US);
Gustavo Mata, Austin, TX (US);
H. Van Dyke Parunak, Ann Arbor, MI (US);
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Austin, TX (US);
Abstract
The invention is a technique by which a manufacturing process flow determines when to begin processing a batch of lots. The invention includes a method for determining whether to begin processing a batch in one aspect and a manufacturing process flow in a second aspect. The method comprises: ascertaining a respective time at which each of a plurality of additional lots will be received into the batch, the batch including a plurality of present lots; assessing a cost for a machine, each additional lot, and each present lot for each respective time at which each additional lot will be received should the machine begin processing the batch at the respective time; and determining the respective time at which the total cost borne by the machine, each additional lot, and each present lot will be at a minimum. The manufacturing process flow comprises a processing tool that processes batch-by-batch, a batch of present lots, a plurality of additional lots that may be included in the batch, and a software agent or a computing system. The software agent/computing system is capable of performing the method set forth above.